The Fight Within (69 page)

And that was—he was getting married and had a family now. He had love waiting for him on the outside, for he worked on the inside to earn each and every hug and kiss from a beautiful woman named Treasure…

‡

…Four months later…

S
ean stood at
the end of the hall admiring Lydia’s engagement ring. Raising his black felt fedora hat ever so slowly, he took a closer look. The woman smacked her gum nosily as she grinned from ear to ear, extending her hand just so.

“Isn’t it exquisite?! Colin has good taste. Who would have thought it?!” she teased.

“Yeah, it’s real nice, Lydia. I’m happy for ya. Where is my brother anyway?” He crossed his arms and sucked his teeth, looking left and right. “He abandons me on my wedding day? I need to talk to him. What a punk.” He smirked as he leaned against the teal and cream Damask printed wallpapered divider and crossed his ankles, his salt and pepper spectator shoes shining like brand new Christmas ornaments.

“He’s helping your dad get some presents out the car. They should be back soon.”

Sean nodded in understanding as he adjusted the cuff of his slim suit jacket.

“She looks beautiful by the way…” Lydia whispered, as if the information were top secret.

“I’m sure she does…can’t wait to see her.” He grinned a bit wider as he inspected himself in a nearby mirror. “My mother screamed when she saw her.”

“I know!” Lydia cackled. “She said, ‘Oh my Gawd, Treasure, you look so gorgeous!’ It was sweet, right?”

“Yeah, real sweet… The whole place heard her, even when she added the bit about Treasure not being Catholic, but she still looked nice.”

They both burst out laughing. Colin and their father walked up to them at that moment, joining the duo as the guests continued to arrive and be seated.

“What are ya servin’ tonight?” his father asked gruffly, smoothing his puffy palm down the front of his starched white shirt. “I hope it’s not any of that fu-fu food no one can get full off of! They have like one tiny cherry tomato on the plate with a couple drops of mystery sauce for decoration, and a sprig of parsley! I don’t want any of that! Some said lamb chops? I hope the hell not!” He gave not a moment for Sean to reply as he rambled on.

“Tiny lamb chops with mint jelly and other bullcrap! I’m a steak and potatoes kinda guy. I want a
full
-sized plate where hardly any of the damn thing is showin’ because it’s covered with food, ya hear me?! Food!
Real
food!” He snorted.

“Dad, you’ll be fine. There will be something for everyone’s tastes.” Sean patted the older man’s back.

“There’s ya mother. Colin, help me get these over to that big table right there.” The man nodded across the way to the gift table, which overflowed with shiny, pretty things.

“Nah, I’ll take them,” Lydia jumped in, tossing Sean a wink. Flexing her muscles in her tight red dress, she helped haul away the beautifully wrapped presents with big, silky white bows.

“My little brother is getting married! I still can’t believe it!” Colin grabbed him, giving him a big hug.

“I know, right? Crazy, but I love her…can’t wait to be her husband.”

“That’s great man…real great. She’s a nice lady. I like Treasure a whole lot, Sean. Ma and Dad like her a great deal, too.”

“That’s good, it means a lot to me.”

“Did Lydia show ya the ring?” He hunkered down, a big smile on his face as he whispered in his ear.

“She did, good lookin’ out!” Sean laughed.

“And uh…thanks for the money. I could never afford something like that for her on my salary.”

“Man, that was just a finder’s fee. You know that diamond ring I was supposed to get appraised?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I did and I sold it to a pawn shop and gave you the money…that wasn’t from my bank account or anything like that. By all intent and purposes, you found the ring first… so,” he shrugged, “you earned it.”

“Hey, I like that! I don’t feel so bad now.”

“You shouldn’t have felt bad in the first place. You would have done the same thing for me.”

Colin nodded and offered a kind grin.

After a few minutes, everyone was seated and the music began to play. Sean raced to take his spot at the entranceway. Asia soon joined him, dressed in a white gown with red trim. Her thick hair was pulled up into a high bun.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush.

He took the girl’s hand and the two walked down the aisle, side by side. Sniffles and laughter could be heard as they marched together until they reached the minister at the end of the lacey runner. On the left stood five women, including Erin. The ladies stood there dressed in elegant form-fitting crimson dresses with sparkling sapphire trim, reminiscent of flapper style get-ups as they held long, unlit, sparkling silver cigars. On the right stood five men, including Colin, dressed in the 1920’s style dark herringbone gangster suits with wingtip shoes. Sweet smelling smoke swirled about the place, then subsided when a jazzy rendition of ‘The Man I Love’ by Marion Harris began to play.

Everyone seemed to stop breathing the moment the back doors opened. There she stood, and there he almost lost his balance. The sight of her made him want to drop to his knees. Treasure stood there in a flowing, form fitting ivory gown with long veil and elbow length gloves. The woman practically glowed. Her matching ivory high-heeled Mary Jane shoes were adorned with rhinestones. She stood there, as perfect as could be. Brian stood beside her, his hair twisted in one long braid draped down his back. The guy was dressed in a pinstripe white and black suit, looking slick and sophisticated. Wearing a half-smile, he walked his mother down the aisle, seemingly overdosing on the attention as everyone in the aisles and chairs rose to their feet.

Sean anticipated the moment with each long second that passed.

Oh my God, look at her. I’m getting married. She’s all mine. I’m really getting married.

He shot a glance at his mother, who sat in the front row. Her face red as a tomato, she sobbed and dabbed at her eyes with tissue. His father affectionately wrapped his beefy arm around her, quieting her happy hysteria.

Finally, Treasure reached him, but he couldn’t see her eyes. He wanted to rip her veil away, see his gift standing before him. Instead, Erin approached and, as delicate as a hummingbird landing on a flower, gently pulled it back, revealing what he could have never fathomed…

The woman’s flesh had a healthy glow and glistening dew, as if she were shimmering in summer waters and reflections from the vibrant sun. Her full lips were slightly glossy, and her eyes, deep and dark, caught him in a rapture of enchantment. She batted her lashes ever so slightly, causing him distraction upon distraction as his cock swelled in his pants from the mere sight of her. The minister began his spiel and asked, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

“I do,” Brian stated, his chin held high. He then moved to wedge himself between Colin and Sean.

The ceremony continued without a hitch, and right before the rings were exchanged, Sean approached Asia. A soft murmuring and whispers began as he got down on one knee, causing gasps and awwws. He took the girl’s hand, and looked her in the eye.

“Asia,” he said, swallowing past a lump in his throat, “I’ve made vows to your mother today, but she isn’t the only one that I am promising my devotion to. I promise to be the best husband to your mother that I can be. I promise to love her and be there for her when she is in need. I know I was not part of your life when you first came into the world, but I’m part of it now. I promise to be a good stepfather to you, and to be fair with you and trustworthy. I promise to treat you as if you were my very own flesh and blood, because I see you and Brian as nothing less. Asia, I’m not your birth father, and not trying to replace him.

“But, I am someone you can come to about
any
thing, and at
any
time. I want you to know that you have not only a second father in me, but a friend. I want to thank you and your brother for sharing your mother with me and letting me into your hearts. I love all three of you, you’re my family now, and I’m yours.” He stood and embraced the smiling girl and she hugged him back, her little arms barely able to wrap around him.

The audible sighs and heartfelt tearful outbursts were clearly discernible when he placed a small diamond ring on Asia’s finger. A tender touch on his shoulder soon followed, and there stood Treasure looking down at him, her eyes moist. He took her hand, squeezed it, then looked over his shoulder at his new son…

The boy nodded at him and raised a hand to his face, hiding his eyes from view. Sean released Treasure’s hand and took the boy in his arms, giving him a big bear hug, causing chuckles amongst the guests when Brian pretended to try and break free. Moments later, Sean and Treasure stood back in front of the minister, holding each other’s hands, looking at one another with wonder.

“And now, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Pushing the veil further away from her face, he framed her cheeks with his hands and bent down to her waiting lips…

A kiss.

A simple, perfect kiss that he laid upon her with closed eyes to breathe in her scent, fall fast and deep. Then, he kissed her yet again, pressing his lips into the softness of her own. Their guests clapped as he continued, melting inside of her soul, disappearing somewhere soft and sweet, and hoping with all of his heart and soul he was not trapped in some dream…

*

“Where are you?”
Sean quickly leaned forward and turned his music off. He had A$AP Mob blasting ‘Trillmatic’ on full blast. This was his second time asking the kid the same question, questioning the boy only to hear his heavy breathing on the other end of the line. Sean stared at the red light he was benched in front of. The crimson brightness seemed to shine brighter than usual…

Warning! Alert!

Help
…
me….

“Brian, where are you? Tell me right now.” The light turned green and he turned on Park Avenue. Nearby, two guys dressed in gray work jumpsuits navigated their bikes illegally through the thick rush hour evening traffic.